I think i've posted on the topic of Zelda on the DS numerous times, and I think I even accompanied my thoughtsa with some photoshop jobs i did.

Personally, I think the control style should be That you use the stylus in one hand, and use the D-pad/L button in the other (obviously able to be mirrored for lefties). I'm not sure exactlyhow this would work best, i would assume the arm strap would need to come into it, but for what i am thinking it would go best.

My idea is that Zelda DS should be a true spiritual sequel to tWW, in the sense that it picks up where tWW left off, and the sprites (yes, still using top-down traditional GBA perspective) woul dbe windwaker inspired. Of course the added hardware would allow for some sophisticated sprites and cool effects like fog and lighting, shadows, explosions, much like FSA did.

At the core of the gameplay, the new area of the great sea you explore would fix the problems tWW had by only having half a dozen islands in a tight archapelago that are quite large, with maybe a few tiny aslands around, like fairy islands. Treasure charts would be incredibly easy to manage, what with the second screen, and the touch screen could allow for some amazing conrol concepts.

Take the boomerang. Rather than simply pressing the button and trhowing it, then controling its path with the D-pad (magic boomerang from OoS), you could draw a path for the boomerang to follow, or simply tap an object for it to fly to and retrieve for you. On the sword front, spins and slashes could actually be circles and lines. A shovel item for recovering treasure hidden underground on an island (keeping with tWW's seafaring/pirate theme) could be uncovered by drawing an X on the ground, and then seeing if you've sussed out the right spot, and random rupees could be dug up by simply scratching away at the soil with the tylus all over the screen.

The heart of these new control mechanics would be the ability to control water, as opposed to wind. Using a magic trident (or whatever, really irrelevant what it is exactly) linkl can manipulate the flow of water. In a stream, draw a line through a fork to divrt water flow from one stream to another, drying up one river and filling another. Another idea could be to draw spirals in the ocean to make large whirlpools, and if i may stretch this concept one further, these whirpools, once the right item is gotten and if done in the right location, will allow link to journey to the now water ravaged ruins of ancient Hyrule. Another idea for the trident could be that of combat. at sea, draw a square on the water, then use the stylus to throw that square at an enemy. the result is the ability to create and throw waves and rips your opponents way. in the area of boat travel, draw an arrow to make the water current go your desired direction (much easier than stopping and conducting), and draw lines against a waterfall to travel uphill through it.

How would all this be implimented? The touch screen would be used for displaying the action, displaying hearts, as well as three interchangable item icons in the top right corner. The top screen would display the sea chart, dungeon maps, some quest status info, magic left, and other data as the situation arises. move link around with the D-pad, and slash by drawing lines on the screen. If link stands in the centre, and you draw a diagonal line in the bottomleft, link will make a slash travelling parallel to your line that yu've drawn, and face that line. if you draw a circle, link will do a spin attack in the same manner. other things like stabs apply the same way.

To use an item, Hold L, and the currently highlighted item of the three in the corner will become available with the stylus. if that happens to be the bow, slingshot back lines from link and release to fire arrows. if it's the ice rod, draw circles around enemies to freeze them, or tap spots to fire ice blasts at that spot.

To interact with the enviroment, tap the objects when close. for example, move link up to a pot and tap the pot for him to lift it, or tap a door to open it. trees will rustle and reveal items when you shake the leaves around with the stylus, and you will begin talking to people if you move link up to them and tap them on the shoulder.

Getting back to tWW ties, obviously there wouldbe some plot device to make link lose hgis gear from the previous adventure, and Tetra shgouldnt be a damsle in distress. She should help you from time to time in a partner fashion, but a lot more intuitively than the sages in tWW. to alternate play between the two, tap on the one you want to control, or you could hit the opposing shoulder button (r by default. it really hasnt got a use). If the controlling thing has been done, draw a line from tetra to an object to get her to move to that spot/interact with that item.

Just some thoughts. What do you think?